August 2, 2022, Salem, OR—Governor Kate Brown today invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act in response to the Miller Road/Dodge Fire burning near the community of Juniper Flats in Wasco County. The fire sparked Tuesday afternoon and is burning grass, brush, and juniper; it is currently estimated to be 1,000 acres in size. The Wasco County Sheriff has issued Level 2 and Level 3 evacuation orders for homes near the fire.
Local and mutual aid resources are on scene working to slow the fire’s progress, and a Lane County task force, which was pre-positioned in Deschutes County, is headed to the fire. The Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Blue Incident Management Team will assume command Wednesday morning and will work to bring in five additional task forces through the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System (OFMAS) from counties around Oregon to assist in the response. Additional responding agencies at this time include Juniper Flats Fire District, Klickatat County (Washington) Fire District, and Hood River Fire.
“I have invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act to make more state resources available to the fire crews on the front lines in Wasco County at the Miller Road/Dodge Fire,” said Governor Kate Brown. “With many fires actively burning across the state and several weeks of peak fire season ahead of us, I am urging all Oregonians to be prepared and do their part to help prevent wildfires — just one spark can light a fire that will quickly spread. Please continue to follow local and statewide fire prevention regulations and share what you know with others. Every fire we prevent helps us keep our communities and firefighters safe, and our natural resources protected.”
In accordance with ORS 476.510-476.610, Governor Brown determined that a threat to life, safety, and property exists due to the fire, and the threat exceeds the firefighting capabilities of local firefighting personnel and equipment. The Governor’s declaration cleared the way for the State Fire Marshal to mobilize firefighters and equipment to assist local resources battling the fire and further support a coordinated response.
Additional updates for the incident may be accessed at:
Oregon State Fire Marshal Facebook page
Wasco County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page
Information on wildfire prevention and preparedness may be accessed at:
ORAlert.gov
Keep Oregon Green
Oregon Wildfire Response & Recovery
Oregon Department of Emergency Management